School Board Launches Recruitment of New Leader and Asks For Community Input

The Portland School Board, moving swiftly to recruit a new
superintendent for Portland Public Schools, has scheduled four community
meetings before Memorial Day to hear from students, parents, teachers,
staff and other interested community members. These public hearings will
help the School Board define the criteria to be used to recruit and hire
a new leader.

Board members Doug Morgan and Dilafruz Williams are leading the School
Board's community engagement as the hiring process begins.

"We want the community to offer their best advice as we tackle the
single most important duty of any School Board: hiring a superintendent,"
Director Morgan said. "What do our schools and our city want and need in
our next leader? What is the right combination of knowledge, skills, and
leadership experience that will help our schools take the next steps
toward excellence for all? These are the questions we want our community
to help us answer."

Four meetings are scheduled for the week before Memorial Day, in
widespread locations and varied times to allow for greater access and
public participation:

Saturday, May 19, 10 a.m. to noon
Wilson High School, 1151 SW Vermont St.
Child care and translators will be provided

In this initial phase of the recruitment, the School Board also plans to
hold some additional meetings directly with Portland Public Schools
partners, and will offer a survey to all members of the PPS staff and
community to gather their thoughts. Individuals may also offer their
opinions and ideas to the School Board directly by emailing
SchoolBoard@pps.k12.or.us or by mail at School Board, 501 N. Dixon St.,
Portland OR 97227.

"While the ultimate responsibility for the hire rests with the School
Board, I know that all of us believe we will make better decisions if we
incorporate the thoughts and wishes of teachers, administrators,
students, parents, employees and the broad community in the process from
the very beginning," Director Williams said. "This is a vital first step
in this effort and I hope that many Portlanders will make their voices
heard."

Superintendent Vicki Phillips announced on April 25 that she will leave
PPS July 1 to become education director for the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. The School Board will likely name a short-term interim
superintendent while it completes the recruitment and hiring process.

Board Co-Chairs Dan Ryan and Bobbie Regan have indicated that the School
Board hopes to offer the job to PPS's next superintendent by September,
with that person starting work in the fall. "We believe we are in a
very, very strong position to attract great candidates for this job,"
Co-Chair Ryan said. "We are in a financially stable place. Student
achievement is on the rise. We have a strong Strategic Plan that guides
our work. We have great depth of leadership in our schools and in our
central office. Bottom line, we know where we're headed, and we have
great capacity in our staff to get us there."

Translators will be provided at all four community meetings. Childcare
will be provided at all three school locations but will not be available
at Central Library.

For more information, contact the School Board Office at (503) 916-3471.